Community Pick
The Perfect Burger
"Here are the ingredients & the instructions to make the perfect burger! Although it may not be the healthiest, use medium ground beef for moistness & flavour. The leaner varieties produce burgers that are drier with a denser, tighter texture. Don't use previously frozen meat as juices are lost during defrosting. If making ahead, cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate for no more than a day. Enjoy!"
- Ready In:
- 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 22
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
-
BURGER
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon mustard (regular or Dijon)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 small onion, finely grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 lb medium ground beef
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FLAVOUR PERK STIR-INS
- 1 tablespoon creamy caesar salad dressing or 1 tablespoon Greek salad dressing
- 1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomato
- 1 tablespoon sour cream or 1 tablespoon yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh lemon rind or 1 tablespoon lime rind
- 1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
- 1 tablespoon ketchup or 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh herb
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon teriyaki sauce or 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- 1 fresh jalapenos or 1 pickled jalapeno pepper, chopped
directions
- Lightly oil grill& heat BBQ to medium.
- Whisk egg in a bowl& add next 6 ingredients.
- Add any of the “stir-ins” that appeal to you.
- Crumble in beef& using your hands or a fork, gently mix together.
- Handle the meat as little as possible – the more you work it, the tougher it gets.
- Gently shape (don’t firmly press) mixture into burgers about ¾ inch thick.
- Using your thumb, make a shallow depression in the centre of each burger to prevent puffing up during cooking.
- Place burgers on the grill, close lid& BBQ until NO LONGER PINK INSIDE, turning once, about 6 – 8 minutes per side.
- An instant read thermometer should read 160F.
- Don't abuse your burgers by pressing with a spatula, pricking with a fork or turning frequently as precious juices will be lost!
- Tuck into a warm crusty bun& add your favourite toppings.
Questions & Replies
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First time making Burgers at home with this recipe. And my meat fell apart on my indoor grill. I was able to salvage it and use it to make something else but is there something that I was missing for my burgers to not stay together?
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Can I freeze these Pattie’s? -
Can i print? -
the mince i use is between 3-7% fat! my friends tell me its far to low in fat content for burgers ! and say i should be using mince with 20% fat! what do you recommend! thanks in advance:) all the best jon
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Can I substitute the beef for turkey to make it healthier?
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Reviews
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I have no idea why the first review said they couldn't get this to stick together on the grill. Be gentle with the meat and leave it alone while it is on the grill. Don't pat, poke, or flip it more than once. I did this recipe as stated with no extra add ins. The result was simply burger heaven. This was the first time I attempted to prepare my own patties. I will never by the frozen junk again. This is too easy to make and adds a whole new definition of burger. This was the best burger I have ever had! -
These were definately lovely and moist. I think leaving out the breadcrumbs is a great idea as is the cooking technique. The only other thing I added to the burger mix was about a tablespoon of tomato ketchup and a small handful of mixed herbs. Now I make my burgers the Aussie way and here's how it's done. First put a squeeze of tomato ketchup on the bottom of the toasted bun then followed by an iceberg lettuce leaf, a slice of tomato then place the burger (which should have a slice of melted cheese on that I place during the last minute of cooking), then I add some fried onions (never raw onions), a slice of bacon and topped with a fried egg and then the top bun. It's a mouthful but well worth the effort. -
NEVER pre-salt, it binds the proteins and makes a spongey burger; by the time the first seven ingredients are mixed in, no matter HOW gently, the ground beef has already been overworked, and by the time an instant read thermometer reads 160 (and the burger "IS NO LONGER PINK INSIDE") it's an overcooked paperweight. Toss it in the trash and have a hot dog.
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I just pan fried these on the stove tonight and they were nothing short of marvelous! I became a member just do I could leave a review. I also used shallots, a few scallions and two extra cloves of garlic. I added the curry and Cajun seasoning (both a touch more than the recipe called for), as well as sundried tomatoes and 2 minced Serrano peppers. They were without a doubt, the juiciest, most flavorful, mouthwatering burgers I have ever had or believe I will have. In a grill pan on medium high, 2.5 min one side, flip. A slice of pepper jack cheese, cook another minute. Cover and cook 2 more minutes and Voila! Perfection confirmed. Minus the peppers, as my nine year old daughter was eating, she said if there was a contest for worlds greatest chef, I would win, haha. Thank you, thank you, countrylady!! -
These burgers were extremely tasty and the whole house was a fan. We ended up broiling them instead of putting them on the grill and so they were super tender. We made 6 burgers out of a double recipe and each of us had one healthy size. About 8 minutes per side.They even reheat beautifully. Definitely a repeat recipe
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Tweaks
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Never mix ingredients in with your burger meat, it's common knowledge that it turns the texture to that of meatloaf and is a no-no among many cooks. You're making a burger, not meatloaf or meatballs. If you want to incorporate flavor into the burger put it on the outside. You'll end up with a way better texture in the end. Yes Gordon Ramsay does use egg as a binder in one of his recipes, but I'd only use that if your now meatloaf is too lean, or if it's so big it could fall apart without it, like it seemed to be in his recipe. So what to do: Be sure not to get too lean, 75-85% lean is my usual, 90% max. Don't put anything in the burger meat, put the mustard, salt, pepper, and minced garlic on the outside of your burger patty, and top the burger with thin onions, possibly Worcestershire sauce and the egg if you want to add those flavors in, otherwise dump them completely. The burger will have a better texture and be juicier if cooked correctly. Also the mustard being on the outside will promote browning without burning the inside like it does mixed into the meat.
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it was perfect!! -
I wasn't grilling outdoors, so I added a tiny bit of liquid smoke.
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I used dry mustard instead of regular or Dijon and onion powder. I added ketchup and a bit of dried red chili pepper and did not use eggs.
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Did this without the Worcestershire sauce (I don't eat fish) and with a teaspoon of curry powder instead of the mustard as I didn't have any, grilled on a grilling pan instead of a proper bbq, and it worked wonders, follow the instructions and the patties should hold easily. Can't wait to test this on a proper bbq.
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In the words of Tracy Byrd, "I'm from the country & I like it that way"!!
On May 1, 2008 my husband and I started a new adventure. We'll be living in a 37 foot RV while our new home is under construction. Its out in the country on a dead end dirt road with lots of trees. For the next 4 months or so, most meals will be cooked on the BBQ and life will be full of challenges!
We love spending quality time with our friends & family - especially the grandkids!! The photo is 4 generations - my 84 year old mother, myself, my daughter & my youngest granddaughter - taken at the end of 2006.
I've participated in many contests & events here on Zaar but this is the first banner that I've posted. My thanks to Dreamgoddess for hosting the contest & SusieD for the banner design!
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